The Missing Piece
by Bandaid01
Summary: The wonderful world of Chloe Covington through the eyes of Jacob Black. Please Read & Review! Chapters 5 and 6 are here! Please R&R!
1. Beginning Quote

Unrest of spirit is a mark of life; one problem after another presents itself and in the solving of them we can find our greatest pleasure.

-Kal Menninger


	2. Lonesome Creek Store

This is all about Jacob imprinting, and the wonderful world of Chloe Covington through his eyes. BTW I chose the name Chloe because it means "Verdant and Blooming," according to Baby Names dot Com, that is. (It kept deleting it when I saved it regularly, so that explains the spaces and capitals.) This takes place after Bella's early-morning wedding, which Jacob decided to attend. Also, Lonesome Creek Store is a real convenience store in La Push. Anyway, hope you like it, and please review!

**Disclaimer: Characters and ideas taken from the Twilight series, by Stephenie Meyer, belong to Stephenie Meyer, and, therefore, NOT me.**

_**Chapter 1:**_

_**Lonesome Creek Store**_

**Jacob Black**

I trudged on home from Bella's wedding, wondering what to do next. What to do for the rest of my life. The leech was probably sucking my Bella's blood right from her veins this very moment. I shuddered at the thought, the telltale angry chill running down my spine; more intense than ever before, but also much easier to control and keep myself from phasing. I stared at myself incredulously in the mirror, a numb, dead feeling washing over me as I realized that the horrid event I just witnessed was probably my last chance to talk to Bella, _my _Bella, _human_ Bella. Sure, I could speak with her on the phone after her…transformation, but she wouldn't be _my_ Bella. She would be a bloodthirsty murderer that, with the help of my werewolf DNA, would make my every sense-her sickly sweet stink, her unnatural good looks, the icy cold of her skin, the inhuman softness of her voice, and lastly, well I can't even imagine-would make me want to rip her to shreds, literally. I know I promised Bella I would still take her, leech or not, but right now I have no idea how on earth I'm going to keep my word. I decided I would take a walk down to the La Push convenience store, Lonesome Creek Store, to get a slice of pizza. It would be as filling as an M&M to a human, but I wanted to act like a normal human for a change.

I walked up to the deli counter and ordered my slice of supreme pizza, extra meat. After being handed my not-so eco-friendly Styrofoam take-out box with the pizza, I went outside to a picnic table to have my "M&M". That's when it happened. I finally knew _exactly_ how Sam felt. I imprinted. Is this real? I wondered. Is _she _real? Am I dreaming? But this was too real to be a fantasy. I could _feel_ it too much. This girl was nothing extraordinarily special, but I could tell-freaky werewolf phenomenon or not-that there was much more to her than meets the eye. She had the deepest, most penetrating big blue eyes I've ever seen in my life, and her hair was a silky chocolate brown, pulled back in a messy bun. It was a simple, common hairstyle, but it suited this girl remarkably. I finished my pizza in one gulp, and then went to go talk to my missing piece.

"Hi," I said nervously, trying to be as friendly as possible.

"Hey! I'm Chloe Covington. And you?" Chloe. The name of a goddess.

"Jacob Black. I, uh, noticed you sitting over here and you looked…lonely. I thought you might like some-"

"Company? Yeah, I'm here checking out the University."

"In Seattle? And you traveled all the way down here?" God was _really _liking me right now.

"Yeah, I'm not much of a city girl, you know? I wanted to come see these beautiful forests, and the unforgettable ocean. I haven't had a chance to do either, yet, though, my parents keep nagging me to spend all my time on the University campus to make a good impression. That's where they _think _I am now, but I just couldn't take it anymore, so I snuck down here. I hope they don't pop in for a snack."

This was my chance. She was practically _begging_ me to take her for a walk on the beach. Kind of ironic, the human's begging the dog to take her for a walk. I snickered silently to myself.

"Oh, really? Well, if you'd like, I can take you to the beach. It's right down from my house, after all. And the forest is right there, too, in all its glory."

"I'd love that, Jacob! Thank you so much! Can we go now? Right now? Is that okay?"

"Yeah, sure, of course."

"Come on, let's go then!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me to the sidewalk, giggling all the while.


	3. Revelation

This is a pretty short chapter, I know, but I wanted to make it a good cliff-hanger, so I didn't continue. Please R&R. :-)

_**Chapter 2:**_

_**Revelation**_

I led her down to the beach, wondering how to tell her. How to reveal a whole world of fairytales, fantasies, and myths to a bubbly girl who seemed to have nothing better to do than take a walk on the beach with an almost-complete stranger.

Surprisingly, she held my hand all the way there, and also surprising, she didn't notice my unnatural body heat until we got to the beach. I wasn't upset about it, because it gave me more time to pull an explanation out of a hat. Sure, I know _what _to tell her, but I don't know _how_ to tell her. What if she runs away and never wants to speak to me again? That'd be two rejections in a year. That's got to be record-breaking, as far as true love goes.

"Wow, Jake, are you okay? You feel like you've got one _Hell_ of a fever!" She actually seemed concerned. I wondered if I could tolerate her calling me Jake, after all, that was kind of a Bella thing…No! Jacob Black, don't do this to yourself! Chloe is your soul mate! Your perfect match! Don't let yourself dwell on that leech-lover friend of yours! Okay, now that I've gotten my little pep-talk out of the way, here goes.

"Well, uh, about that, Chloe. It's a long story, but a very important one."

"Okay. What is it then?"

"Uh, how much do you know about werewolves?"

"Not much other than the movie stuff. What does that have to do with anything?"

She didn't get it. She didn't pick up on my hint. This was what I was afraid of.

"Hmmm…how to put this…well, let's go with the plain-and-simple method. Chloe, werewolves exist." I hesitated to take in her reaction, but her face wasn't giving anything away, so I continued with, "And I am one. There are ten of us. We're here, we exist, because a coven of vampires lives right down the road, in Forks. Our duty is to protect La Push, and the Quileute tribe." I was surprised at how easy it was to just blurt it all out like that.

She stared at me incredulously, and my stomach was turning flips. Was she going to run? Demand that I take her back to her hotel and then never speak to me again?

"That's…so…_cool_! Are you serious?! You're not just teasing me?"

"No, I'm not teasing you. It's all real. But you can't tell _anyone_, Chloe. I mean it. It's a _really_ big deal to keep it a secret."

"Oh, yeah, sure, of course! But why would you tell me? You just met me a little while ago!"

Now _this_ was nerve-wracking. It was easier with Bells. Ugh! I've got to stop thinking about her! She'll understand! She'll probably be _happy _for me!

"Um, well Chloe, do you know what imprinting means?"

"Well, no, not really, but it sounds like it would mean something that you…leave your mark on. Your signature. Am I right?"

"Sort of. With werewolves, it's like, well, it's like true, _true_ love, in its purest form. But not always a mushy-gushy, Romeo and Juliet kind of way. It could be in the form of a brother or sister, or a best friend, or even an adopted parent, given the circumstances. It always happens the first time a werewolf sees the person, after becoming a werewolf, that is."

"So, what are you telling me, Jacob?"

"I imprinted on you, Chloe. You are my soul mate, my missing piece."

"So, I'm like your true love now? But what happens if I don't go to University of Washington? What if I go somewhere else for college?"

"Then, we'll keep in touch-over the phone, or I can come visit, and there's always e-mail, or even snail-mail, if that's what you want-and you would, could, if you wanted to, come back here after college. I can't move away from her, because of the werewolf thing. But, if you don't want me, then that's just too bad for me, I guess."


	4. Decisions

Okay, yeah, I know. INCREDIBLY short chapter. No excuses this time, just take it for what it is, please, and I promise not to do it again.

_**Chapter 3:**_

_**Decisions**_

"So, you're saying that, even though some freaky werewolf love-at-first sight thing happened-no offense-you're still leaving it all up to me?"

"Yes. Absolutely. And we don't have to jump to conclusions or anything, Chloe, we can get to know each other as friends first, and stay that way forever, if that's what you want."

She sat down in the sand, and then tugged my hand, signaling for me to sit down with her. I did, laying on my back in the soft, cool sand, and she snuggled up against me, my right arm supporting her head. We stayed there until the sun had set, which felt like a few minutes, but was actually about three hours.

"Thank you." I whispered.

"For what?" She was giggling again.

"For accepting this, and not running away."

"Why on earth would I run away from such a great, understanding guy with a _fantastic_ secret?" Once again, giggling.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because a guy you met only a couple of hours ago just told you that two big Hollywood horrors really exist _and_ confessed his undying love for you?"

We both started laughing, and then she did something I would have never expected.

She rolled on top of me and embraced me in a passionate, impetuous kiss. Something I've never really experienced before. It was amazing, and I hoped it wouldn't end badly. I hoped this wasn't her way of saying, "I'm sorry, but I can't do this. It's too much. Goodbye, Jacob Black." I hoped this wasn't going to be my last memory of her. My body was incredibly hot, but I felt as cool as ever at the same time. Finally, she took a break to breath, and whispered in my ear,

"Thank _you_, Jacob Black. For trusting me. For loving me. I love you."

"Love you, too, Chloe, love you too."


	5. Proclamation

Note: Despite the fact that all the other chapters have been almost unbearably short, I've tried to make this one longer. I've gotten a review or two and comments about the story-line moving too fast, so I'm going to explain: I know it's a little quicker than any normal story, but I made it move along quite rapidly to help everyone get to know more about Chloe's personality. She is a very 'live-for-the-moment' kind of person, she does things on impulse; she is also very trusting of the people she meets, which also makes her gullible. That's why she automatically takes to Jacob and believes him. …Well, there's your explanation. Hope that helps everybody out. J

Also, I'm very sorry that I've taken **so** long to update. I've been really busy and I hope that you like this new chapter.

_**Chapter 4:**_

_**Proclamation**_

"This is really nice, Jake, but I need to get back to the hotel. My parents will worry."

"Okay, you want me to drive you?"

"Actually, my car is parked at Lonesome Creek. Can you drive me to go pick it up?"

"Sure, let's go."

We walked back to my house, hand-in-hand, and then I showed her the Rabbit.

"Wow! That's a really cool car, Jacob! Where'd you get it?"

"I built it myself, actually. Most of the parts came from the dump or shipyard."

"Are you serious? That's awesome! I've always been fascinated by cars. Everybody always just passes it along over their head and doesn't think about it. It takes so much engineering and work just to get one part of the _engine_ put together, not to forget the other multitude of parts and pieces that make up an entire automobile."

She smiled lightly, showing her deep fascination. I was also enthralled by her passion for cars, and her perceptibility. She notices things, things commonly unnoticed by most, human or not. Chloe was a person I had just met, but I felt as if I had known her for all of time. I would've liked this girl whether I had imprinted on her or not. I wished time could stay still and allow Chloe and I to stay locked in this moment forever, me staring at her, amazed, and her staring back into my eyes, the two of us communicated wordlessly and wonderfully, experiencing the full capabilities of love.

I realized that it was my turn to speak, although she didn't seem bothered that I hadn't responded yet. I managed to let a whisper escape, afraid that she would disappear if I spoke too loudly.

"You're absolutely right. Everything about you is right, Chloe. I've never met anyone like you in my entire life. I'm so glad you're here."

She walked over to me, no expression on her face, and wrapped her arms tightly, or as tightly as she could, around my waist. I did the same to her, only not with any force-I didn't want to crush her-and we stood there motionlessly for a few moments, carefully keeping track of time so as to give ourselves enough time to get back to the hotel before her curfew. Inevitably, the moment had to end, and she unwound herself from my grasp, trailing her hand down my arm as she did so, which sent a spark of tingles through my body, touching every nerve I could feel.

"We really need to go."

"I know." I said with a smirk, hoping to end the night playfully instead of painfully.

She stepped into the passenger door of the car, and I sauntered over to my side.

As I was driving to the store, it was very hard to concentrate on the road. I was too busy occupying myself in la-la land, and my eyes kept wandering over to the girl who had fallen asleep in the passenger's seat. She was so beautiful, especially while sleeping. Her hair had fallen down out of the intricate style it had been in when I first laid eyes on her, and I must say that she was really very sexy. Forgive me. As I drove into the convenience store parking lot, I gently nudged her shoulder to wake her up. She didn't move. Great, a heavy sleeper. Much like myself, really.

"Chloe? Chloe, we're here. You've got to get your car. Chloe? Wake up, Chloe." I gave her shoulder another little shove, and she began to stir. Her beautiful eyes opened slowly, reluctantly.

"What? Oh, hi again, Jake. Sorry, I forgot where I was there for a minute. I'll see you later, I guess."

"Are you awake enough to drive? I could leave my car here, and drive you to the hotel in yours, if you want."

"Uh, yeah, if you don't mind. I would, but I don't want to fall asleep, especially since I don't really know my way around."

"Okay. Here, I'll get it." I said, as I walked around the car to unfasten her seatbelt and carry her to her car.

She giggled as I picked her up bridal-style, and I couldn't help but laugh a little too as her saw her beautiful smile.

"Where too, miss? Pardon me for not knowing which car is yours."

"It's that one." She pointed to a Honda of some sort, and I walked over to it. It was white and in pretty good condition. I guessed it was a 1994 edition of something, although I could not tell what in the dark. (A/N I know nothing about cars, so please forgive me if this makes no sense. Just imagine a hand-me-down car of a college student, and you've got it.)

"This it?"

"Yeah. The key's in my purse." She said groggily. Great, I get to go through her purse. Talk about awkward.

She handed me her small bag, and I reluctantly unzipped it and reached in. I dug through and found the hotel key-card, a few tampons, a compact, a small tube of chapstick, a copy of Jane Austen's _Northanger Abbey_, a slender pencil, and finally the car keys.

"Find em'?"

"Yeah, I think so. Is it these?" I held them up to the streetlight, so she could see.

"Yes. The automatic button thingie doesn't work. You'll have to unlock it manually."

"No problem."

I unlocked first the passenger door and put her inside as gently as I could manage, and then buckled the seatbelt for her. She fell asleep again before I made it back to the other side of the car, and I laughed silently to myself. I drove to the hotel, and then of course had to wake her up again.

"Chloe? We're at the hotel. Come on, wake up. Did I really wear you down that much?"

She awoke with a giggle, much to my surprise.

"Were you faking it, Chloe Covington?! I'm appalled at you!"

"No, Jacob, I promise I wasn't faking it. Not the whole time, anyway. I just wanted to see how you acted while I was asleep. To make sure you kept your hands to yourself, and all that. You never know, I'm such a heavy sleeper I never would have noticed."

"Do you really think I would do such a thing, Chloe? I know I'm just a teenage boy, but I'm not a pervert!"

She giggled again. "I know that, Jacob. I'm just joking. I was really surprised at what a great driver you are, especially when you would glance down at me every few minutes. I'm surprised you didn't catch me with my eyes open.

This time, _I_ giggled. "Okay." I leaned down and gave her a quick kiss.

"You don't mind if I walk myself to the door, do you? I don't want to spring this on my parents too soon. They'd be furious."

"No, of course I don't mind. See you later, Chloe. Right? Do you want to meet me in Seattle tomorrow, since that's where you're supposed to be anyway? I know of a great restaurant we could visit for lunch. On me, of course."

"That'd be great. 11:30?"

"Okay, see you then."

She got out of the car, then I followed. I stood by the car as I watched her go up to her room, and then I checked to be sure the doors were locked before I went back to Lonesome Creek to pick up my car.

When I finally arrived back at home, I found Billy on the couch, grinning. I'm sure he had guessed what happened.

"So, did you guess?"  
"I don't know. Did I?"

"If you think that I finally imprinted, then yes. She's wonderful, Dad. I finally found my true soul mate. I guess it's good that Bells didn't pick me. I would have just broken her heart the same way that leech did."

He chuckled. "I'm glad you finally found her, son. I knew you would some day. Are you going to go to bed, or go tell the pack first?"

"I think I'll go on to bed. I'm pretty tired, and I'm going to Seattle tomorrow. I'll tell Sam in the morning."

"Okay. Goodnight, son. Congratulations."

I grinned, and then bounced off to my room, oh-so-excited about what my day tomorrow would be like. I planned it out in my head as I drifted off to sleep, and my dreams were filled with the glory of Chloe Covington. First thing in the morning, I would call the Lampreia Restaurant and make sure there would be a table. If not, I would call the 94 Stewart. (A/N I don't really know what either of these restaurants is like-I just did a search on Google and these looked nice.)


	6. Speak of the Devil

Note: I have an incentive to continue this story now…yay! I couldn't seem to find any ideas of what to do…but now I know. evil grin be prepared for a handy dandy cliffhanger! I 3 cliffhangers! By the way, remember to check out my newest story, which was co-written with my BFF! The preface and first chapter can be found under this account-Bandaid01-but the rest, which now we have four chapters written…not posted yet, though, are under a joint account, titled BellaJacobDuet. Please check out this new story-I think it is by _far_ my best work, although, it is not completely mine. J 

**Disclaimer: The songs featured in this chapter belong to their respectful owners, and those people only. I am not any of the artists and/or bands, and I do not wish to claim these works of art for my own. The first song is called _All Over You_, and belongs directly to the amazing band, The Spill Canvas, whom I adore and love with all my heart. The second song is called _I've Just Seen a Face_, and it belongs to the legendary Beatles. Although, I am using the version that was featured in the movie, _Across the Universe_, which was recorded by Jim Sturgess, so the words may be slightly different.**

_**Chapter 5:**_

_**Speak of the Devil**_

**Still Jacob's Point of View…**

I continued thinking this as I drifted off to sleep, unable to keep up with my train of thought. I had my iPod cranking in my ears, which was my usual routine at night. Though lately, I'd been tired enough that I could get to sleep without it. Before 'turning werewolf', though, I could lay in bed for hour after hour, unable to sleep because it was so quiet. My life had seemed so typical today. I really felt _human_. Which is what made me decide to pull out the tunes. Right now, my old favorite song was playing.

_Yeah, he's a looker, but I really think it's guts that matter most;_

_I displayed them for you;_

_strewn out about from coast to coast;_

_I am easily make believe;_

_just dress me up in what you want me to be;_

_I'll take back what I've been saying for quite some time now;_

_I gotta feel you in my bones again;_

_I'm all over you; I'm not over you;_

_I wanna taste you one more time again;_

_I'm all over you; I'm not over you;_

_In my daydreams, in my sleep, infatuations turning into disease;_

_You could cure me, see all you have to do is please try, give me your best shot and try;_

_all I'm asking for is love, but you never seem to have enough;_

_I gotta feel you in my bones again;_

_I'm all over you; I'm not over you…_

I switched songs, not wanting to think of Bella as I did every time I heard this song. The next song that played was perfect for what I was feeling at the moment.

_I've just seen a face, I can't forget the time or place;_

_where we just met, she's just the girl for me and I want all the world to see we've met;_

_Mmm, mmm, mmm, mm mm mm;_

_had it been another day, I might have looked the other way;_

_and I'd have never been aware , but as it is I'll dream of her tonight;_

_di di di di di di;_

_fallin', yes I am fallin', and she keeps callin' me back again…_

I sighed, listening carefully to the words. They fit my mood perfectly. I drifted to an unconscious state, and I at first dreamt of Chloe. Later, though, my dreams turned to nightmares. I was in the woods, at the cliff that crazy Bella had jumped off of. Chloe was here, and we were looking out at the water, enjoying the view. Suddenly, someone appeared on my left side, the vacant one. It was Bella. She looked in my eyes, disappointment clouding hers. I frowned slightly, wishing I had told her before she found out like this. What would she think of Chloe? What if she hated her? Would she ever talk to me again? Would she try to…make me choose? The same way I had done to her? I realized what a true jerk I had been to Bella. She loved _him_, but I refused to let her go. Would Bella hate me now? I'm betraying my feelings for Bella to go with Chloe. Bella should understand…shouldn't she? I'll have to explain to her…will she listen? What if she _does_ hate me after this? Will she leave Forks? Could I stand to be away from her, even with someone else to be with? Bells is just a friend. A _real_ friend. She wouldn't do something rash, would she? She started to say something, in my dream.

"Jacob? Who's _this_?" She asked, pointedly fixing her gaze on Chloe.

"Uh, Bells, this is Chloe." I said, waving my arm in a gesture towards the person on my right side. 

"Why is she _here_?"  
"Bella, I…she--"

"Spit it out, Jake!"

"I imprinted on her, Bella. She's my girlfriend now. Okay?"

"_What_?! Are you kidding me?! I thought you only imprinted if you had just turned into a werewolf!"

"No, Bells. You can imprint any time, so long as it's the first time you see the person."

"But, Jake! You love _me_! Now you're just going to go with her, with the snap of a finger?!"

"Bella! Calm down! You know how imprinting works! I can't help it! I _love_ Chloe, Bells! I love her even more than I love you…like _that_, at least!" _Whoa._ _Definitely_ the wrong thing to say to Bella.

"_WHAT?!_ Fine, Jacob Black! I'll leave! I'll leave you alone, _forever_! You'll never have to see me again! You're just a man-whore that picks up any girl that'll take you! You're only doing this so you won't have to dwell on _me_, anymore, and you know it!"

And with that, she stormed off. She didn't even trip on her way out. I was shocked that I could even _start_ to see Bella reacting like that. But, either way, dream or no dream, it hurt. That last part was _definitely_ below-the-belt. She knows I couldn't help it! I _thought_ she'd be happy for me! I _thought_ she'd be glad to have me off _her_ back! _It's just a dream, Jacob, _I thought to myself. _Bella wouldn't react like that. Not sweet, innocent, helpless little Bella._ I'll have to tell her before something like that does happen. Oh. My. God. How am I going to tell Bella? I never even thought of that! How the _hell_ am I going to _do_ this?! Whatever, I'll figure it out later…

"Jake? You awake, Jacob? Can I talk to you, for a minute?"

_Speak of the devil, and the devil shall appear._ It was Bella. Well, now I have the perfect opportunity to tell her, but I have no clue what to say. My throat has been drained, just like those _leeches_ do to people. 

"Huh? Yeah, come on in."

She opened the door, and I rubbed my eyes as I started to sit up. She sat on the bed beside me, and looked in my eyes, pleading.

"What is it, Bells?"

"Uh…I just, I wanted to see you. It's been a while."

"Indeed it has. But you look worried. Is something wrong?"

"Well, I just, I thought…"

"You thought _what_, Bella? You know you can tell me anything."

"I don't _know_ what I thought. I just, I felt like I needed to come see you. Intuition, I guess. What's going on with you?"

"Well…uh…actually…"

**Note: hehehe…I told you to prepare for a cliffie! Please tell me if I got any of those lyrics wrong…I relied on websites and my own hearing to figure them out, so I hope my sources are reliable. But one can never be sure…anyway, please click the shiny review button and tell me what you think! Also, please stop by my profile and vote on the poll! You can have your say for the story! **J


	7. Surprise, SurprisePart One

-1Note: I'm so excited to have gotten this far with my story! I've never really been able to stick with stuff for very long, so I'm proud of myself for this. Please review, I can't stress this enough! It makes me so happy when I get reviews, even if they are downright rude! So, again, _please_ tell me what you think! Private messages are great, too!

**Disclaimer: Okay, another song in this one. It's _Something_, by The Beatles. **

_**Chapter 6:**_

**Surprise, Surprise-Part One**

**Jake's Point of View**

"Well…uh…actually…Bells, I…I--"

"Jacob, just tell me! You know you can trust me!"

"I imprinted, Bella. Yesterday."

_Phew._ I finally spit it out. I hope she takes it well…

"Oh. Who is it?"

"Chloe Covington. She's here visiting the university, and she was at Lonesome Creek, and I went down there, after your wedding, and saw her."

"Does _she_ know?"

"Yes. I told her everything."

"When do I get to meet her?! I'm so excited for you, Jacob!"

"Uh…you can meet her, uh, today, I guess? If you can stay here for a little while, until she comes."

"Okay…what's she like, Jake?"

"She's great, Bells. She really is the perfect match for me. She likes cars, and thinks this whole werewolf thing is _cool_. She wasn't freaked out or anything, she took me right away. I was really surprised about that. Most people should have run screaming…"

Bella giggled. 

"What?!" I had to figure out what was so funny.

"You sound like _Edward_! He said the same thing about _me_. He kept saying he was waiting for me to go into shock, and run screaming."

"Oh. I guess the-I mean, _Edward_ and I _do_ have something in common. Well, other than you. Wait a second, weren't you supposed to be, well…you know…"

"Uh…yeah, but, I made Edward…_promise_ me something, to do…before the, uh…change…that I wanted to do…as a human…"

"Oh…I get it. Never mind. It was nice though, to see you again before you turned into a bloo--"

"_Vampire._"

"Yeah."

**Bella's Point of View**

He _imprinted?!_ I can't _believe_ this! _Bella, you should be happy for him!_ I tried to convince myself of this. He'll finally be off my back for choosing Edward, at least. I just…can't help it! Someone _else_ is going to be occupying his time! Someone _else_ is going to be drinking soda in the garage with him! Someone _else_ is going to be cliff-diving with him! Well, technically I never went cliff-diving _with_ him, but still…

"So, when is she coming over, Jake?"

"Actually, I'm meeting her in Seattle at 11:30. You can come, if you like, or wait until later. We will probably come back here, for a walk on the beach or something."

"Hmm…maybe I should wait. We don't want her to jump to conclusions if you bring another girl."

We both laughed, and I hoped he didn't sense how awkward this was getting. I didn't know if I should leave, and come back later, or just hang out here all day with Billy and the rest of 'the pack' while I wait for Chloe and Jacob to return. I decided it would be best to leave, that way Edward won't worry.

"Uh, I guess I should go, then, so you can get ready. You'll have to leave soon."

"What? What time is it?"

"It's eight. Doesn't it take a few hours to get there?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess so…I'll have to leave in just a few minutes. I better get my act together. I've got to call to make reservations! Damn, why didn't you come wake me up sooner?!"

We laughed again as he scrambled to get dressed. Great, more awkward moments…he had started to pull his pants off, revealing a pair of boxer shorts, and that's when I decided to make a run for it.

"Uh, Jake, you know I'm still in here, right? I know we're best friends and all, but…"  
"Oh! Sorry, Bells! I forgot! I'm so sorry! I'll see you later, okay?! I'm just in a hurry! You'll be back down later tonight, am I right?"

"Yeah, Jacob. See ya." I said this as I walked out of the door, shielding my eyes. I chuckled as I went back out to the truck. I waved to Billy as I pulled away; he was looking out the window. He smiled and waved back, out of courtesy. I kept thinking of this girl, _Chloe_, on my way back to Forks. What I _wasn't_ expecting, though, was what I saw next.

"_Emmett?!_"

He was standing outside Mike's house, giggling about something. Just standing there, and giggling. _So_ unlike Emmett. Well…sort of. I wondered what he was up to…probably some mindless prank. Again. Last time, he planted condoms in the yard, so Mike's dog dug them up and carried them in the house to Mrs. Newton. I have to say, it was funny, but I feel sorry for poor Mike. His parents put him in therapy, and apparently he was given the sex talk every night for about two weeks. A different approach each time. Emmett, Jasper and Edward still laugh at that every time the words 'condom', 'dog', or 'Mike' are brought up. Even if someone is talking about a _mic_rophone, they bust out laughing. Especially Emmett, who has always had the roughest time controlling his outbursts. 

"Hey, Bells! What'cha doin'?"

"I was wondering the same thing about you! _Please_ tell me you're not going to plant more condoms. I don't think Mike could live through that again."

Here comes the laughter. His outburst rumbled through the street, and vibrated my 'big clunker', as Emmett himself calls it.

"Emmett, shut up! Mike's gonna hear you and come outside!"

"No he won't. They're gone."

With this, his face took a truly evil expression. He reminded me of the way Victoria looked when she smiled. Thank God Edward killed her, or that may have frightened me.

"So, what are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing. Just came to check up on Sparky. I volunteered to housesit, you know."

"Oh, God. How did you manage that?"

"Silly Bella. You know _I_ can manage _anything_."

I laughed at his idiocy. I was getting bored, so I decided to leave him to whatever he was planning.

"I'm going to go, Emmett. Don't humiliate him _too_ much, please?"

"Whatever. See ya, Bella."

I floored the gas pedal, as if it would do any good. I love this truck so much, but sometimes it _does_ annoy me how slow it is. Although I would _never_ admit it to Edward, or any of the Cullens for that matter. They'd probably custom-order me a one-of-kind foreign sports car, and have it mailed directly to Charlie's house. _If_ a car can be mailed. It _would_ be pretty difficult to fit in a mailbox. I chuckled at my insanity, although I knew that if I asked for it, Edward or Alice at least would try to make something like that happen. Of course, I never _would_ ask for it, because a nice car would not be a good thing for me. I would become even _more_ clumsy-if that's possible-because I would be trying too hard to take care of my car. I can see it now, I'd open the door right into my face, and get a big slash on my forehead, spilling blood all over the shiny paint of the car. I'd have to fork over a few hundred dollars to get the paint job fixed. 

I pulled onto the long driveway leading to the Cullen manor, and Emmett raced by the driver's side door.

"I beat you!" He yelled as he passed by. I laughed at his idiocy once again.

Edward walked up to my door, a confused expression painting his face.

"What was _that_ about?"

"Nothing. I just…_ran into_ Emmett on my way here. Apparently he wanted to race."

"_Idiot._ Whatever. So, what would you like to do today?"

I chuckled at Edward's reference to 'the idiot', and decided that today I wanted to go along with whatever Edward wanted to do. Usually, he didn't ask me what _I_ wanted to do unless he already had something planned. Strange, I know, but true.

"I don't know. I'm going back to La Push later, though. Jacob wants me to…_meet_ someone."

"Oh. Who does he want you to _meet_?"

He was mocking me. Just _great_. I laughed, all the same, but I didn't think it was my right to tell him about Jake. God, I don't know what to do! If I _don't_ tell Edward, then he'll just go snooping around in Jacob's head, but if I _do_ tell him, Jake might get mad at me. Whatever, I'm going to tell him anyway. That way I can tell somebody how I _really_ feel about it. Edward may not like it, me being jealous and all, but he'll get over it.

"Uh…he imprinted. On a girl named Chloe. He's going to bring her down to the beach later, and wanted me to meet her."

"Oh. And you're willing?"

"I want to make sure she's good enough for him. She better not be a snob or anything, or just a downright bitch. Excuse my language, Edward dear. At least it wasn't someone from school…like _Lauren_ or something. God, I don't know what I'd do if he imprinted on _her_."

Edward unexpectedly started belting out a rampage of laughter, and then Emmett and Jasper entered the room, giggling again. I guessed it was something to do with whatever attack they had planned for Mike. Usually, Edward would condemn them as 'immature' or something like that, but I think he…_dislikes_ Mike Newton enough to be up for this one. I hope it's not _too_ bad. I sighed, hoping Edward would tell me what it was they had planned.

"I'll tell you later." He said, still stifling a few chuckles here and there. "Come with me."

I followed him, and was more and more wary as we got closer to out destination. We arrived at Alice's closet, with everyone but Alice, Carlisle, and Esme in tow behind us. 

"What are we--"

"Just come on. You're going to love this."

"Somehow I doubt it."

Although I very _strongly_ doubted I would enjoy this _at all_, when Jasper and Rosalie started holding articles up to Emmett, I couldn't help to laugh as well. I wondered if they were actually going to try and fit _Alice's_ clothes onto _Emmett._ I laughed again just at the thought. I ran over to a rack of extremely skimpy, and extra-girly clothing, and brought some over for Emmett to 'try on'. Rose squealed in delight, and I remembered that I was the only one that didn't know _why_ we were deciding on an outfit for Emmett. We decided on a magenta dress, that fell about mid-calf. It was a Donna Karan original, and had embroidered roses streaming down the front, diagonally. It was really a very beautiful dress, but once again, I wondered how on earth _Emmett_ was going to get it on…_without_ ripping it to shreds. 

"Oooh! We've got to pick out some shoes!" Rosalie, squealing again. 

I giggled at the thought of Emmett in a pair of stiletto heels, and it turns out that that's what they ended up picking out. They were silver, and the essence of 'stiletto'. One problem, though. They were a dainty size six, while Emmett must require at least a 12 or 13. 

"Hey, how on earth is this stuff going to fit on _him_?"

"We're going to get the dress altered, and another pair of the shoes in his size! What did you think, silly? We aren't going to ruin Alice's clothes." Rose again. I can't _believe_ I didn't think of that! Duh! Oh well.

"Anyone want to tell me _why_ Emmett is going to wear this?"

"No, silly, it's a surprise!"

"Then why does everyone _else_ know what's going on?!"

"Bella, you _know_ it's hard for us to keep secrets in this house. It's nearly impossible. Another reason you're lucky to be human." I should have expected a response like that from Rosalie. I sighed in defeat. 

It was almost time to head out to La Push, so I readied myself to leave. After all, it does take _humans_ a little longer to get ready. I walked to the door, Edward with both arms around my waist, walking clumsily-if that's possible for him-along, slightly behind me. His face was buried in my hair, and I heard him breathe in sharply. He smiled, before turning me around and kissing me full on. I gave in, of course, but I really needed to get going. I pushed him away reluctantly.

"Edward, I've got to go. I'll see you a little later."

"Okay, dear. Farewell to thee."

I chuckled at his abnormal goodbye, and waved as I headed out to the truck. He simply stood at the door, smiling. 

On my way to the Blacks', I saw Emmett at Mike's house again. I barely recognized him. He looked like a very _large_ Rosalie. He had been fitted into a blonde wig, and was wearing a certain Donna Karan dress, the one from earlier. The heels were secured on his feet, and I was surprised that they could support his weight. I began to ask what the _hell_ he was doing, but then I saw him throw a small rock up at Mike's window. I was shocked that the window didn't shatter. Emmett started to sing-he was better than I would have thought, although he did sound like a girl. I suppose that's what he was aiming for.

_It's something in the way she moves me;_

_Attracts me like no other lover;_

Mike's dog, Sparky, walked up to Emmett, and he/she turned to the dog.

_Something in the way she woos me;_

I shook my head at his stupidity, and then I saw Mike look out his window. 'Rosalie' motioned for Mike to come down, and asked if 'she' could come in. Of course, Mike says yes. He hurries downstairs, and meets 'Rose' at the door. 'She' slips something from her bra, and slips it into Mike's hand. I can barely see, but it looks a lot like a condom. Strawberry, and glow-in-the-dark. _Terrific_, I thought. I hear 'her' whisper, 

"My favorite."

I laughed insanely, and then noticed that all of the Cullen 'children' were positioned around Mike's house. The only reason I saw them is because I saw a bush move, and then Edward's face popped out. He smiled at me, and I continued to laugh. I would never expect Edward, or Jasper, for that matter to participate in something like this. Emmett, definitely, but not the other two. They always seemed much more calm and collected. Emmett walked into Mike's house, and I decided to go on. I would allow, no, scratch that, _force_ Edward to relay the story to me later. If force is the correct word. I knew very well that I couldn't actually _force_ him to do anything. I drove on to La Push, the butterflies in my stomach becoming more pronounced.


	8. A Hallmark Moment

Note: I would like to hand out a great big THANK YOU to everyone who has reviewed this story! I have gotten several notifications that people have added it to their alert list as well, and I am also very grateful for that. Soon, I will publish a play list for the story, because without music I would _**NOT**_ be able to write a word of this. It would be very nearly impossible. I also want to notify all readers to keep watch for another story, which will probably be a series of one shots, two shots, or maybe even three shots. IDK yet… I have come up with a few topics, but a few were 'With A Little Help From My Friends'…hehehe I'm just as obsessed with Across the Universe and The Beatles as I am with Twilight…but anyway, don't forget to check out Sweet, Sour, and In Between on my other account!

_**Chapter 7:**_

_**A Hallmark Moment**_

I arrived at Jacob and Billy's house about ten minutes after I left Mike's, and I felt like puking I was so nervous. I didn't usually get this way, but right now I was literally freaking out. _Bella, calm down! It's your best friend and his girlfriend! Nothing to get worked up about!_ I tried to convince myself of that, but Jake and who I assumed was Chloe pulled up before I had finished reassuring myself.

"Hey, Bells! This is Chloe! Chloe, Bella!"

He had walked over to me as I exited the truck, and I forced a smile as I shook Chloe's hand. Jacob was smiling one of the biggest smiles I had ever seen on his face, and that made me smile a little bigger than was necessary. I was happy to see _him_ happy. Although, I could pretty much tell that I wasn't going to be very fond of this Chloe girl. She was _too_ much like Jacob, and I couldn't deal with that. Jake is a one-and-only kind of person, and I was afraid that she was posing so he would like her more. _Give her a chance, Bella! You haven't spoken a word to her yet, and you're judging her! You haven't even heard her voice!_ Once again, I was trying to give myself a little pep-talk. I really wish these things worked better than they did. She smiled back at me, and somehow it reminded me of Emmett. She had the same goofy, crazy, spontaneous expression on her face as her lips moved upward. Ialmost laughed, but managed to restrain myself. Chloe was pretty, but simple. I supposed I looked the same to her, if that's not thinking too highly of myself. I think Jacob said she was here checking out the university…that would mean she's my age. Always into the older women, that's Jake. I stifled another giggle, and I guessed that Jacob noticed my strange expression.

"What's _that_ face about, Bells? That's one I haven't seen before."

"Oh, it's nothing. Just remembering something from earlier. I was trying not to laugh, but I guess I gave myself away."

"Oh. So, you gonna tell me what it was?"

"You wouldn't care. It had to do with those…Cullens."

"Oh. You can still tell me, Bella. I don't _dislike_ them _that_ much."

I figured he hadn't told her about the vampire part yet. I knew he told her about the werewolf aspect, because he told me himself that he had told her…if that makes any sense.

"Hey, Jake? Can I talk to you for a second…just a question."

"Uh…yeah. Gimme a sec, Chloe…you don't mind, do you?"

I hoped I wasn't giving her the wrong impression. She must hate me for this, but she'll get over it.

"Does she know about the vampires? Or just the wolves?"

"Yes, she knows they exist in Forks, but she doesn't know them by name or anything. I thought that would be betraying you, sort of. Because then, when she met you, or well, you met her, if you mentioned anything she would start asking questions about them and stuff. I didn't want to make it awkward for you. Although it probably is anyway, but you know."

"Yeah. Thanks for that. But you wouldn't be betraying me, Jake! It's your story to tell just as much as mine!"

"Well…sort of, I guess. But now you can be here when I tell her about that. If you want to tell her, that is. She'll have to find out sometime, but I can tell her myself, if you don't want to do it."

"No, that's fine. I'll tell her. Maybe we can _bond_."

I chuckled at my use of the word 'bond', because you usually only see it on hallmark movies or when you hear the old folks talking. Jacob chuckled too. I really wanted to give him a big hug, but I was afraid that Chloe might be angry if I did that. Gosh, I'm not used to having to actually think about doing things with Jake. Usually we just did whatever popped into our heads, and ran with the wind in our hair. It's going to be really different now.

**Jacob Black**

Bella and I laughed at her use of a word that was usually found on hallmark cards, or mushy gushy chick flick things like that. I needed a hug right now, and it would be great to get one from Bells, but I'm afraid Chloe might get mad. This is going to be so different! I'll have to actually _think_ before I act. I'll have to be careful not to mention Bella to much. Bells and I had always been so carefree, and gone with the wind, but _now_ I would have to give that up and take care of myself for real. I'd never worried about it much before, because I'm a _werewolf_. I _heal_. I don't _care_ if I get hurt. I sighed, and Bella did the same. I looked down at her, and I could tell she was pretty upset. I wished she wasn't. I really do. I hugged her, not caring about what Chloe thought right now. If she's really my true love, she'll forgive me, and I'll be able to keep her trust. It's not like I ever betrayed it in the first place, but it's all in the same. Bella was here before Chloe, and she deserved as much reassurance as I could manage to give her. I think I saw Chloe smile a little behind us, and I smiled as well, realizing that she knew it was just a harmless hug from one friend to another.

Note: Okay, everyone, I'm terribly terribly terribly sorry for making this so short. It's really a long and rambling story for why, but I promise that the next chapters will not ever be this short again…unless I have a very good reason. If it really bothers you that it is so short, please private message me and I will explain in full detail why it is short. I will try my hardest to post as many new chapter as I can this week, to make up for this almost unbearably short one. Thanks for reading, and please review, no matter how angry you are for the short chapter or if you simply hate the story and want me to burn in h-e-double-hockey-sticks.


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